In a bid to meet consumer demand, South African mobile service provider Cell C is releasing a new prepaid voice product and tariff plan called 99 Cents For Real, which slashes off-net, and peak call tariffs to 99c per minute, with per second billing from the first second.

99 Cents For Real takes away the complexity of tariffs as it gives customers a guaranteed flat rate of 99c per minute to make calls to any local network at any time of the day.

With the launch of 99 Cents For Real, which will be available to customers from 20 May, Cell C simplifies the prepaid market and brings customers the best possible rates.

“This new tariff gives Cell C’s prepaid customers the best voice rate in the market, making it – in most cases – even cheaper to call from Cell C to other networks than it is for our competitors’ own prepaid customers to make on-net calls,” says Cell C CEO Alan Knott-Craig.

“Customers can phone who they want, when they want. They do not have to worry about peak or off-peak times, to which network the call is being made or in which zone they are. This is by far the most competitive, fair and transparent rate in the market today,” he adds.

Customers that sign up for 99 Cents For Real will receive pure per second billing from the first second which means that calls to any local network at any time will cost less than 2c per second.

“It is an unprecedented rate cut, which pre-empts lower Mobile Termination Rates (MTRs) next year, and will drive competition in the market to the benefit of consumers. Peak MTRs are currently R0.56 per minute. To ICASA I say ‘drop MTRs even further, provide Cell C with asymmetrical MTRs to help us achieve the scalability we need to compete even more fiercely with the large incumbents, and we will surprise you and them with our response. Help us to help the consumer’. With a vigilant Competition Board, the playing fields will be leveled, and competition will flourish in the telecoms sector with Cell C setting the pace,” says Knott-Craig.

“And I say again: ‘Price is not a Strategy’, but it sure beats the hell out of strategies based on high prices,”

As part of the 99 Cents For Real offer, Cell C is also cutting the rate of MMS messaging to 99c per message and giving customers data at 99c per MB. SMS charges will remain unchanged at 50c per message to any network.

From 20 May, Cell C prepaid customers will be able to purchase the new 99 Cents For Real starter pack from any of Cell C’s franchise stores, or retail outlets. Customers can also migrate their existing tariff plans to the new plan by dialing 141 and following the voice prompts.

“Cell C promised to make a difference in the market, and this is but one of our initiatives planned at achieving that goal.” says Knott-Craig.